Some lessons fall right into your lap...

or your front yard. Look what the kids found this evening, squealing in the grass in our yard. So cute and helpless was he. He couldn't even open his eyes. My heart sank immediately thinking this poor tiny creature, who evidently fell from a nest in a tall pine tree above our yard, will certainly never make it. After shooing the kids away from it, I ran in to my computer to Google "what to do if you find a baby squirrel." To my surprise, within about a minute I had the number for a woman in our neighborhood who was a certified rehabilitator of small mammals. Who knew?! I called her up and she was on her way. To the rescue. I was quite relieved. Meanwhile, my kids had gotten their doctor's kits out and were listening to his "heart beep" on a stethoscope. My 6 year old was on high alert, adamant about protecting him from stalking birds. I did as the woman had instructed and wrapped the little bugger in a soft blanket to keep him warm. Apparently it is OK to pick them up, carefully. He instantly stopped crying and fell asleep. I snapped a few quick photos and before long he was on his way to a new home where I hope he will grow and thrive. My dream for him is that he will be returned to a life outdoors where he can run, climb trees, fight with other squirrels over acorns and pine cones, and steal bird seed out of bird feeders like the one on our back deck. At least that's what all the cool squirrels seem to be doing these days.